NATIONAL DISH OF FIJI Fijian Kokoda

"Cooking" raw fish by marinading it in lemon juice is a technique used by people in many lands
(see for example the Ecuadorian recipe on the following page). Different Pacific Islands have
different styles, but they all generally involve sharp citrus juice, coconut cream, and chunks
of a white-fleshed fish.
The following recipe for Fijian Kokoda is adapted from A Fiji Table - a cook book of the Fiji
Islands, compiled by Gaλtane Austin for the Holy Eucharist Church and published by Islands
Business International in 1989. This is one of the best Pacific Island cook books I have seen - it
contains many authentic local recipes as well as the usual expatriate favourites - and is well
worth getting hold of.
Ingredients to serve 6
1 lb. white fish fillets (walu, kawakawa - rockcod, or mahimahi)
3 large limes
1 cup fresh coconut cream
1 large onion, chopped fine
1 teaspoon Tabasco)
2 tomatoes, diced
1 large green bell pepper, diced
pinch salt
Cut fish into bite-sized pieces. Marinate overnight in juice of limes and salt. Add coconut cream,
chopped onion and chilli just before serving. Decorate with tomato and bell pepper. Serve in a
large bowl, or as individual servings on a bed of lettuce in a coconut half-shell (bilo). Note: if you
refrigerate the kokoda for too long after combining the ingredients, the coconut cream will
solidify.
Different parts of the Pacific have different methods of preparation: some drain off the
marinade before mixing the fish into the coconut cream, others marinate for a shorter time.
French Polynesian fish salad, or poisson cru, can be marinaded as little as 10 minutes.